


Gratitude

by naturalcuriosities



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: F/M, Female Summoner - Freeform, Love Triangle, Multi, Sigurd and Deirdre are not together and they're fine with that, Smut...eventually, Summoning Failures
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 14:07:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17809367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naturalcuriosities/pseuds/naturalcuriosities
Summary: As the Summoner, you put it upon yourself to 'fix' the damage that the Heroes carry with them. Your noble efforts do not go unnoticed.





	Gratitude

Dead bodies, everywhere. Fallen soldiers, now only heaps of metal and flesh, were scattered across the bloody field. The tower that once shadowed your troops had been decimated, thanks in no small part to the manaketes, and you sat atop that largest piece of rubble there was.

You exhaled harshly, trying to expel the bitter smell of blood from your lungs. Gods, you could almost taste it deep in your throat. How could the Heroes deal with this?

You heard armored movement on your left; Ephraim, for this mission in his Legendary armor, surveyed the damage like one would an art gallery, with a dissonant calm.

"Ephraim?" You call out to him gently. He jolts and looks up at you. "How's the team?"

He smiled, but it wasn't pure. It still had that bloodied edge. "Summoner, I didn't see you there. Lady Corrin is slightly injured and Ninian is exhausted, but Lord Sigurd and I are fine."

You sighed in relief. Not bad for a Grand Hero Battle.

"And our newest addition?"

"Robin agreed to join us. She's impressed with your tactics." Ephraim falters and shifts on his feet, then says, "Summoner...when you did this - for Lyon - was it this easy?"

You stretch your legs across the stones, searching through your memories of bright flames and demonic roars, of searing heat and thunder. The battle for Lyon was your first Grand Hero Battle, and you had foolishly underestimated its difficulty, bringing only average heroes with you. But when you summoned your first five-star...

"No," you admitted. "It was hell really, and I don't see Virion or Matthew going out on a mission like that in a long while. He was my first, and he taught me quite the lesson." You drew back your left sleeve and showed Ephraim the curling burns where the flames hit you - faint, but very much there. Ephraim recoiled at the sight.

"Summoner, I...I don't know what to say."

You smiled at him. "That was just what Lyon said once we got him. He didn't need to apologize, but he felt so bad about it that I had to distract him from the matter, so I told him: 'If you really want to make up for it, just tell me about yourself.' And he did. He talked about you, about Eirika, a little bit of home but mostly you two." You twirled Breidablik in your hand. "He was so happy to go on and on about the time you spent together, but when he's done, he becomes quiet. I knew that I just had to summon you two, bring you home.

"But without the orbs, how could I do anything? So I scraped together the best team I had - we were only what, thirty heroes back then? - including the very Hero that helped me get to Lyon and we hauled ass to collect as much orbs as we could."

Ephraim frowned and tilted his head up at you. "The very Hero? Who was it, so I can thank him or her."

You grinned and pointed ahead. Ephraim followed your finger to where the rest of the team rested not so far away, putting together supplies.

"Thank Sigurd."

* * *

 

The standard Order of Heroes welcoming party included a wall of healers rushing forward at the arrivals and assaulting them with balms and healing. But this time, there was an extra audience.

Robin slowed her horse to a stop before the castle bridge, eyes wide. "...Chrom?"

The Exalt of Ylisse was in his best outfit today, even atop his white horse. Beside him was Lucina, her bow strapped to her back - she must have just come out of training. Then a tiny figure burst forth - the male Morgan, who was until now yet to see his mother. They waved frantically from the other side of the white bridge, smiling brightly.

Tears gathered in Robin's eyes. "Lucina...Morgan... I can't believe I'd ever-"

You tapped her shoulder, and she looked to you. "They're waiting," you hinted, feeling tears threaten to pour from your own eyes, "they have for a long time."

Robin swallowed and ushered her horse forward, first at a slow walk, then she quickly urged it to gallop across the long bridge. Chrom did the same, and they met halfway. They dismounted and embraced tightly. Lucina and Morgan caught up and joined the hug. Meanwhile, Priscilla and Clarine rode over to your aid.

"Corrin and Ninian," you told them. Corrin joined Priscilla on her horse, while Clarine rode alongside Ninian, who had been riding Sigurd's. They quickly returned to the castle, leaving you, Ephraim, and Sigurd behind.

"Nice of you to lend your horse, Ephraim," you said as you watched the reunited family walk back to the castle.

"I remembered when I came here and Lyon nearly tired himself running to meet me," he replied, smiling softly. "I didn't want a repeat of that."

You hummed.

"An admirable act," Sigurd spoke from your other side. "Summoner, are you tired from walking?"

"No, I'm used to it."

The three of you began to cross the bridge. You were slightly ahead of them, but you could still hear what they were saying.

"I heard that you helped in getting Lyon back," Ephraim said, voice weighted with sincerity, "I thank you greatly for that. He's my friend, and I know it wasn't easy to battle him. If there's anything I can do..."

Sigurd chuckled. "No need. I know what it's like to lose a friend," and here his voice lowered, "all I did was prevent someone else from going through that."

You pursed your lips as you wordlessly greeted the guards. By now, you had most of the World of Genealogy in Askr, including the Thracia Heroes. You told them the whole story, from your perspective as a player, and left them to mend old wounds. The damages done in their world was some of the worst you'd seen, but they were slowly recovering from it. You saw Saias and Deirdre have tea at the garden, and Julia bond with her father at the mage training grounds, trying to make the bigger 'blast.' Julius had slowly begun opening up to the other heroes, thanks in no small part to Ishtar, and Reinhardt and Olwen's dispute was quickly thrown aside.

"Summoner?" A deep voice cut through your thoughts and you looked up. Sigurd had his hand on your shoulder, gently, at least by his standards, keeping you from walking into the front pillars of the headquarters. You laughed a little and rubbed your eyes.

"Thanks, zoned out for a bit there. Ahem." You walked around the pillars and entered the Great Hall. You were greeted by Feh's gentle hoot and scratched her feathery belly. Ethlyn came up to you.

"Summoner! There you are!"

"What's up, Ethlyn? How are Ninian and Corrin?"

"They healed quickly and are resting in their quarters. Are any of you hurt?" She looked the three of you over, holding her staff close. She examined Sigurd in particular.

"Don't worry, we weren't as reckless as last time. Max health, see?" You gestured to the pristine state of your clothing.

"That's good to hear, but please rest. You left quite early in the morning."

"No worries, I could do with a nap just about now." You bid them goodbye and walked off to the east wing, announcing as loudly as you could, "I'll be in my room!" After all, you never knew when you would be needed.

* * *

 

You awoke at night and opened your window to listen outside. There was no noise but the chirp of crickets and the occasional horse's neigh. It must be incredibly late at night.

"Time for a midnight snack, then."

You put on your cloak and took your lamp with you, feeling a bit like Ebenezer Scrooge. You navigated the dark halls, holding your light close to feel even a little warmth in this cursed medieval-era cold. How did these people survive without heaters?

Finally, you made it to the kitchen. You slowly opened the door, but it still creaked loudly. Your lamplight trickled into the room and met another light.

"Uh...Sigurd?" You squinted through the haze of shadows. "Is that you?"

You sat at the kitchen island, placing your lamp next to the one already there. You could see him now, with his dark blue eyes and hair.

"I see you have awoken. I saved your dinner for you - here." He reached behind him and takes out a covered plate. You uncovered your meal and take a bite.

"Not bad," you hummed, mouth full of potatoes. You shot Sigurd a suspicious look. "You weren't waiting here all night to give me this, were you?"

Sigurd broke into a small grin, one reminiscent of his younger self. "I had company in the form of bread and wine."

You choked on your food. "Sigurd! I know you think you're my bodyguard and all, but you really didn't have to! I could have gotten food on my own!" You threw punches on his shoulder, despite the fact that you had the strength of a kitten compared to him.

Sigurd was now in full laughter, his voice loud and clear in the quiet of the night. He took your hands, keeping you from hitting him any further. "Hahahaha! Summoner, your food!"

You ceased your attacks and swallowed your food. "You really didn't have to," you muttered and returned to your dinner. Sigurd calmed down and took a drink.

"I owe you plenty for what you've done for me." He said, now jarringly sober compared to how he was earlier. "You brought my family together, gave me the chance to redeem myself, to become who I never got to be...you spent countless days working to summon everyone, not because you wanted strong soldiers or skills, but because you wanted to make everything right. Your selflessness, your determination to bring peace to our souls, that I have you to thank."

'A lot about gratitude today, huh,' you noticed. From Ephraim to Sigurd, it seemed that the world wanted to remind you of the fruits of your labor.

You leaned on the table, picking apart your mushrooms. "Even if...you're not with Deirdre anymore?"

Sigurd was quiet for a long moment and drew away from the light. You saw his silhouette nod. "Yes. Deirdre needs time for herself, and I will respect that. Besides, I still have the chance to talk to her, make sure that she is alright, and to watch over Seliph. That is the best I could ask for."

"Huh."

"Summoner?"

You shook your head, watching the candlelight warp and bounce over shadows. "Nothing, just...you're awfully humble. When I got here, I hated everything that wasn't from home. I was still on the mission, but what I wouldn't do to go back home.

"But I knew a lot of you and what you had been through, and I knew that I had no right to complain, not when all of you were helping me without hesitation. So I had to do something greater, I guess, of my own will instead of being told to do so. Out of the early bird crew, I knew that where you were from had the worst damage, so I started with you.

"I didn't know where to start. There were so many people you had to talk to, to see again, so I just blindly summoned left and right, hoping to find someone you knew. Seliph was quick to answer the call, all the kindest heroes do, and you two were so happy to see each other that I went straight back into summoning."

Sigurd nodded sagely. "Reinhardt and Anna couldn't reach out to you for days, and when you came back, you were so upset...that was what you were doing? Summoning...for me?"

"Pretty much. And you know, it took me almost a month of gathering and summoning, of firing blanks again and again, until the Grand Hero Battle came up."

"Arvis."

You sighed and rubbed your eyelids. "Yeah. I had a bit of a crisis there, whether I should get him or not. Then I decided that I would definitely get him, but the first time around, it didn't feel right. I needed someone else to keep you two from fighting. I needed Deirdre.

"I had a whale of a time trying to contact her. Along the way, I managed to get  
Eldigan, Julia, Ethlyn, Finn...but none of them heard Deirdre. They didn't see her when they were being called by Breidablik, they didn't feel her answer. That meant that I was far from reaching her, but that didn't stop me. We won over Julius and summoned Quan shortly after, and Lachesis by his side, but still...

"I was out of orbs. Usually, I would leave some left for the next banner, but it was a Deirdre focus then and I just had to go all in on it. I didn't have enough to open another summon and I...I really hated myself. It's been a year since I summoned you, and I knew you wanted to see her again. I wanted so badly to fix everything that happened that I spent a whole _year_ trying to call upon everyone you ever knew, but the most important one, the one you wanted most, wouldn't answer."

Sigurd set down a cup of water before you. You thanked him and took a sip.

"But Ephraim was there with me, and he stayed with me, and he said..."

_"Summoner..."_

_Ephraim rested his hand on your shoulder, the weight comforting. The summoning stone was cold to the touch after not having a new hero's energy for so long. You sat, slumped, against the stone, your forehead pressed against the ridges. Breidablik fell to your lap._

_"Don't give up now, you've come so far." He knelt beside you and pulled you against him. As he stroked your hair, you breathed in his scent: dry clothes and medicinal herbs that he's had to ask for so often after training. His steel lance clattered behind him._

_"She's not coming home, Eph..." You mumbled and nuzzled into his shirt. "She's not coming home."_

_Ephraim shushed you, uncharacteristically gentle compared to the fireball he usually was. "Not yet. Fighting battles always means that you're going to get hurt, but the only way to win is to push through the pain, no matter what, and not stop fighting until your enemy is defeated."_

_"So hold on for a little longer, Summoner. Here," he reached into his pockets and showed you five small orbs in their iridescent glory. You blinked away your tears, almost convinced that they were only a trick of the light._

_"What...what...how..."_

_Ephraim grinned widely. "You forgot them at the hot springs, at the labyrinth. I forgot I had them until now."_

_His happiness was infectious. You mirrored his grin and took the orbs, and by reflex loaded them into Breidablik. "Stand back!"_

_You didn't even check where Ephraim was. You pointed the gun right at the orb slot and fired._

_Immediately, the stone began to steam heavily. You tried to fight the anticipation rising within you at every curl of smoke, your past experiences nagging at you, 'It's just another alt.' But you saw Ephraim and how he, too, was entranced by the smoke, and you let yourself be excited._

__

_The smoke rose to full height and there was a flash of bright light. You peered through the glare, waiting for the light to die down as it did with average heroes, but it didn't. You were awash in golden light - the light of a five-star hero._

_"My name is Deirdre. My memories... They're mostly gone, now. I am sorry."_

You laughed softly. "Ephraim swears that I screamed when I saw her, poor Deirdre. I was so tired that I passed out. In the end, Ephraim had to explain everything to her and, well, you were the first to meet her at the gates." A yawn pushed out of you. "Wow, I am sleepy..."

Sigurd rose from his chair and put away your dishes before you could protest. "Please, allow me to guide you back to your quarters. You've done more than enough for me today, I don't want you to be inconvenienced by my requests."

You tried waving him off but found that you were too tired to make a statement. "Mmh...alright. Thanks."

Sigurd shook his head and picked you up. "You're welcome, Summoner."


End file.
